aster for his happiness. The new Braithwaite both in body and character
had hardened. His gray eyes had concentrated into command. His
clean-shaven cheeks and small military mustache gave him an expression
which was tolerantly ironic. The moment you saw him, you knew beyond
question that he was ruthlessly aware of what he wanted out of life. He
was a sword which had lain hidden in its scabbard and was now withdrawn,
glistening, intimidating and fiercely pointed.

Tabs compared his forceful appearance with his own, where in a mirror
their reflections sat facing each other. There was little to choose
between them in outward gentility, despite the immense disparity of
their chances. There was no fault to find; everything about Braithwaite
bespoke confidence and refinement--his neatly brushed chestnut hair, his
well-cut gray tweeds, his black, woven tie with the horse-shoe scarf-pin
of diamonds, his fine white teeth, his trim mustache. He looked a man of
iron will and unswerving decision, destined from birth to take control
of crises and to shoulder responsibilities. As a last humanizing touch,
there was a hint of cavalier devilment about him, of the gambler who was
also a sportsman.

The puff of smoke had faded. The General's eyes came back with a twinkle
to his guest. "You're right. Between us this 'Your Lordship and General'
business would grow tiresome. I never thought the day would come when
I'd call you Taborley, however. As for myself, plain Braithwaite's a
little reminiscent---- Still, we'll consider that part of our compact
settled. And now, what?"

"Do we need to hurry matters?" Tabs questioned. "This isn't a military
court of enquiry. It wasn't my idea to meet you as though we were
maintaining an armed neutrality. We----"

"But aren't we?" Braithwaite interposed with an air of amused
good-humor. Then he lowered his voice, "When you parted from me I was
your valet. You didn't hear from me for the best part of four years and
believed me dead. You came back to find that I was your superior officer
and had tangled things up for you pretty badly. You've threatened me
with your knowledge of a previous love-affair and you have it in your
power to tangle up my future in return. Under the circumstances what
else is possible but an armed neutrality?"

"Let me state the case from another and, I think, a juster angle." Tabs
paused to knock the ash from his cigarette. "Before the war you were my
valet whom I had always t